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Palliative and End of Life Care - New Emerging Team Grants (Archived)

Request for Applications - Archive

The following organizations and CIHR Institutes are pleased to announce a strategic initiative in: Palliative and End of Life Care

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Partners (in alpabetical order):

Canadian Breast Cancer Research Initiative
CIHR Institute of Aging
CIHR Institute of Cancer Research
CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health
CIHR Institute of Gender and Health
CIHR Institute of Genetics
CIHR Institute of Health Services and Policy Research
CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health
CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Health Canada
Heart and Stroke Foundation
National Ovarian Cancer Association

New Emerging Team grants are intended to support the creation or development of teams comprised of investigators undertaking collaborative, multidisciplinary research. The program is designed to promote the formation of new research teams or the growth of small existing teams of researchers in the area of palliative and end of life care.

Timeline
September 2, 2003	Letter of Intent (LOI) deadline. Must be courier stamped by this date
November 1, 2003	LOI results will be tentatively announced by this date
February 2, 2004	Full proposal deadline. Must be courier stamped by this date.
June 2004	Anticipated notification of decision
June 2004	Anticipated start date
Duration of Funding	Up to five (5) years
Funds Available	The maximum amount per grant is $300,000 per annum, including equipment for up to five years. Up to 7 NET grants can be funded under this initiative

Specific Objectives
Eligibility Criteria
Mechanism of Funding Support
Funds Available
Allowable Costs
Evaluation Process and Criteria for Peer Review
Conditions for Funding
How to Apply
RFA Performance Outcomes and Measures
Contact Information

Information on the following areas can be found in the strategic initiative announcement:

Palliative and End of Life Care:

Introduction, Background, Eligible Research Areas, Funds Available, Partners and their Specific Focus Areas, Research Programs, Peer Review Process, Contacts for Further Information.

Specific Objectives

Health researchers in palliative and end of life care are currently faced with the challenge of addressing a growing number of important research questions in the face of critical deficits in research capacity. Therefore the purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to address this challenge by building capacity among teams of investigators who are poised to conduct research and translate new knowledge in palliative and end of life care. The funding associated with this RFA is intended to enhance the capacity of groups of researchers to address key research themes related to palliative and end of life care through the creation of strong intra- and inter-institution mentoring arrangements to add expertise to their core capabilities. Important aspects of this capacity-building program are the objectives of forging multidisciplinary teams around palliative/end of life care themes and attracting researchers from relevant disciplines who have not previously been involved primarily (or at all) in this area of health research.

The essence of NET grants is to provide support for new or existing groups who can demonstrate that they are committed to (1) engendering a trans-disciplinary research culture and (2) attracting, engaging and mentoring junior researchers (faculty and post-doctoral fellows not otherwise funded) or established researchers (investigators who have not worked extensively in Palliative/End of Life care in the past), within teams or networks working on Palliative/End of Life care research themes. The creation or enhancement of teams likely to develop new, or refine existing, research methods or tools, is encouraged.

The specific objectives of the New Emerging Teams grant program under the strategic initiative Palliative and End of Life Care:

Foster cross-theme research in palliative and end of life care with an emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach
Create a team environment that favours the development of excellent and innovative research projects that will advance our understanding of palliative and end of life care
Train and establish new investigators capable of undertaking research relevant to understanding palliative and end of life care

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding (grant) programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the General Guidelines for All CIHR Programs under CIHR's Grants and Awards Guides on the CIHR website, regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

All researchers in areas related to palliative and end of life care as well as any researcher with an interest in these areas are invited to apply. In addition to the standard CIHR eligibility requirements, the following special conditions apply:

It is anticipated that New Emerging Teams will consist of 3 to 6 independent investigators.The specific contribution of each team member must be described.
At least two of the investigators must have an established research track record in areas related to the collaborative project(s) proposed. Ideally, the investigators should have complementary expertise in at least two of the four CIHR themes: 1) biomedical, 2) clinical 3) health systems and services 4) the health of populations, the societal and cultural dimensions of health and environmental influences on health.
Capacity building may be in the form of training that is provided to doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows. However, teams may also want to recruit investigators who are new to the team's area of research.
The members of the team may pursue other avenues of research in addition to their commitment to the Team, however each individual investigator must contribute sufficient time to the Team to ensure the achievement of its research objectives.
Members of a Team may be located in one or more departments, faculties or institutions in Canada.
The team, as a whole, should not, at the time of submission, benefit from any major infrastructure program designed to facilitate group activities, including other programs at CIHR (e.g. IHRTs, CAHRs, Groups program) or at any other federal or provincial agencies. Teams with small amounts of prior infrastructure must provide clear justification for the expansion of this support through the NET program. Any overlaps in support must be clearly described.
Individual team members may be part of other research teams or groups, as long as there is minimal to no overlap in the research programs.
The Team Leader must be a researcher with proven leadership capabilities.

Mechanism of Funding Support

The New Emerging Team Program is designed to support the creation of new teams or the growth of existing teams for a period of up to five years. This support is contingent on a satisfactory progress review at 2.5 years.

Funds Available

The contribution to a single grant from the Institute of Cancer Research and its partners will not exceed $300,000 per annum.

Allowable Costs

Applicants should review CIHR's guidelines on Eligible Expenditures for Research Funding Programs, which provides general information on the application process as well as a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.

Allowable costs for a NET grant under the strategic initiative Palliative and End of Life Care:

Salaries for technicians and other research personnel;
Equipment purchase, and maintenance contracts;
Salaries of research trainees (graduate and postdoctoral) and other personnel whose participation will enhance the collaborative research productivity of the Team;
Operating costs for the proposed new collaborative research project(s), which must be distinct from those for which team members currently receive funding. A New Emerging Team grant can NOT be used to support team members' currently funded research projects;
Costs of data collection and maintenance of information holdings directly related to the Team research program;
Costs of networking activities, including collaboration, planning, and research exchange activities directly related to the Team's research program, and extra travel funds required for members and trainees separated by a significant distance;
Establishment funds and salary of new investigators joining the team; New investigators are within the first five years of their independent research careers. Salary contributions paid from a NET grant must not exceed the stipend paid to CIHR New Investigators. Those paid from NET grants cannot also hold a Canada Research Chair or other salary award;
The salary of a professional coordinator and/or administrative assistant.
A New Emerging Team grant can NOT be used to purchase major equipment (over $20,000). If the application includes a request for equipment, it must be indicated as expenditure for the first year. The first installment of the grant may then include a one-time payment of up to $20,000 for equipment.

Evaluation Process and Criteria for Peer Review

Applications for New Emerging Team grants are made in two stages: a letter of intent (LOI), and a full application.

A committee comprised of members of the Institute of Cancer Research Advisory Board and partner representatives will determine the relevance of the LOIs to the strategic initiative in Palliative and End of Life Care and responsiveness to the eligibility criteria of the NET program.

If the LOI is deemed to be relevant and responsive to the strategic initiative, the Team Leader will be invited to submit a full application and the listing of the proposed programs will be made public.

A special ad hoc, multi-disciplinary, peer review committee with expertise in areas related to palliative and end of life care will evaluate the applications. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the Institutes, partners and applicants. Names of the peer review committee members will be posted on the CIHR website. The committee will follow the general evaluation criteria outlined in the CIHR Peer Review Process for grant applications.

Applications will also be evaluated on the following specific criteria:

Relevance. Applicants should describe the alignment of the proposed program with the objectives of the strategic initiative Palliative and End of Life Care.
Responsiveness to the NET program. Applicants must indicate how the proposed team meets the objectives and the eligibility criteria of the NET program. (link to the objectives and the eligibility criteria)
Value Added. Applicants should emphasize the ways in which the New Emerging Team research program adds value by bringing together researchers from different disciplines, institutions, and/or themes, in a meaningful collaboration that will advance our understanding of palliative and end of life care.
Innovation/Advancement. The project should challenge current research thinking and paradigms and/or address unexplored areas. Applicants should also provide a plan for effective dissemination of research findings through linkages with the appropriate user communities.
Approach. The application should describe the conceptual framework, methods, hypotheses, design and analyses for projects to be funded by this application. Brief descriptions of projects already funded, but which constitute part of complete research program should also be provided.
Team Excellence. New Emerging Teams should consist of team members who have been productive, creative and original in their approach to research. Applications should describe how the team will recruit and provide training opportunities for graduate and post-doctoral trainees as well as investigators who are new to the team's area of research.

On completion of the review, the Institute of Cancer Research and its partners will receive the ranking lists, merit scores (ratings) and recommendation of the Committee, with regards to term and funding level, for the submitted applications. Based on the total funds available for the initiative, top-ranked applications will be funded. Applications receiving a score less than 3.5 will not be considered for funding.

Conditions for Funding

All conditions, as specified in CIHR's General Guidelines for All CIHR Programs and the strategic initiative Palliative and End of Life Care, shall apply to New Emerging Team program funded through this initiative. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official Language Policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.

In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements the following special conditions shall apply:

The Team Leader has the obligation to inform CIHR in writing if a new Team member is added and the new member's salary is to be funded by the NET grant. A responsible official of the institution employing the new investigator must also confirm the terms of the appointment.
Funding for the final 2 years of the program is contingent on the progress report review during the third year of funding.
Applicants will be provided with a standard performance evaluation form, which must be completed and submitted annually.
Within six months after the end of the grant's term, the nominated principal applicant is required to submit a final performance report, summarizing the results and describing how the grant funds were used.
Applicants who receive funding must acknowledge the CIHR-Institute of Cancer Research and its partners in any communication or publication related to the grant.

How to Apply

Applicants should review the document CIHR Application Packages.
To access CIHR forms, applicants and co-applicants, if there are any, must use their CIHR or MRC Personal Identification Number (PIN). If they do not already have a PIN or they have forgotten it, they must request their PIN online. Please note that there will be a delay of approximately one working day to receive PIN confirmation. More than one working day may be required in peak periods - late January and early August.
Applicants may want to read the technical requirements regarding CIHR's electronic application process before filling out the appropriate forms. Applicants are encouraged to use the Web forms.
When using the Web format to prepare the required modules (with the exception of the Common CV Module), first the applicant's PIN and password are submitted from the entry page to CIHR Web forms, and then the link "Create a new application" is selected to complete the modules found under the appropriate program heading (see detailed instructions below)
Before beginning the application process, all applicants should ensure that their proposals address all criteria described in the above-mentioned section "Evaluation Process and Criteria for Peer Review".
In completing CIHR forms, applicants should refer to the applicable Grants and Awards Guides.
In regards to the CV Module, updates can no longer be made to the CVs that have been stored on the CIHR website from previous competitions. Therefore, applicants wishing to update their CVs must use the Common CV, which can be accessed from the entry page to the CIHR Web forms (refer to the link below). First-time users must register to obtain access to the Common CV system. On the Common CV web page, the applicant has to select LOGON, and then consent to the End-User Agreement, in order to get to the registration form.
Please take note of the following application instructions which are specific to this RFA.

There are two steps to this Request for Applications:

A. Letter of Intent (LOI):

In the first stage of the application process, the principal applicant must submit, through his/her Canadian university or affiliated institution (the host institution), a three page letter of intent.

Letters of intent must include pages 1, 2, 3, and 7 of the CIHR Research Module (along with the routing slip), the letter itself, and the relevant attachments, as described below. The four pages from the CIHR Research Module must be filled out on the CIHR website, in addition to providing hard copies, as part of the letter of intent package. This will expedite the review process by making it possible to automatically load the data provided into the CIHR information system.

Having accessed the Web forms and selected "Create a New Application", choose the sub-heading "Operating" under Research Funding Programs to fill out the applicable sections.

CIHR Research Module
The following Page headings correspond to the printed version of the Research Module. The Web format does not always visually display the sections in the same order.

Page 1: Under the Web sections: Nominated Principal Applicant/Candidate and Project
- Full name and signatures are required only from the Team Leader (Nominated Principal Applicant), and either the Dean of Faculty or Director of Nominating Institution; however, all signatures must be provided as requested in the Research Module, at the full application stage.
- The title of the NET proposal
- Operating amount requested (i.e. up to $5,000, see below), if a Development Grant is sought.
Page 2: Under the Web section: Applicants/Co-applicants
- Enter the PIN and names of the team members with their role (e.g. principal applicant or co-applicant), and affiliation
- Signatures are not required at this stage
Page 3: Under the Web section: General Information
- Complete the Acknowledgment section as indicated
Page 7: Under the Web section: Research Funding Programs
- To ensure that your letter of intent package is forwarded to the appropriate CIHR staff, indicate "Palliative and End of Life Care: New Emerging Team Grants" under the heading "Strategic Initiative/RFA" in the Research Funding Programs section and on the Routing Slip, which gets automatically generated when using the Web form.
- The remaining parts of the General Information section on the printed form are not required at this stage.
Letter, in a maximum of three pages (not including references), which should:
- Describe the program.
- Justify why it is relevant to the strategic initiative Palliative and End of Life Care.
- Describe how the program will meet the objectives and the eligibility criteria of the NET program outlined in this RFA.
Attachments, in addition to the information outlined above, which must include:
- An abbreviated CV (maximum two pages) for a maximum of three of the key applicants using the Common CV module as a guideline for content (see instructions above). This must include information on current grants requested or held, relevant publications from the last five years, and expertise keywords. Full CVs will not be considered.
- A Development Grant Request whereby applicants may request funds of up to $5,000 to be used in the development of a full application. A one-page request must be submitted with the LOI, outlining the development grant budget.

Other material will not be sent to the review committee; this includes letters of support, updates on publications, updates on other support received, letters confirming academic appointment, etc.

The general presentation guidelines for completing CIHR application forms must be followed, e.g., use single-spaced type NO smaller than 12 point. These guidelines are available on the CIHR web site.

One original, plus five copies, of the letter of intent must be sent to CIHR by September 2, 2003 via courier service (i.e. courier stamped by this date at the latest).

B. Full Application:

Detailed instructions will be supplied to those invited to apply.

The following CIHR application forms/modules are required:

CIHR Research Module
- Indicate "Palliative and End of Life Care: New Emerging Team Grants" under the heading "Strategic Inititative/RFA" (in the Research Funding Programs section of the Web form).
- All signatures are required, as requested in the module.
Common CV Modules
- Submit full Common CV modules for all applicants/team members
CIHR Operating Budget Module
- Provide an operating budget, including the costs of personnel, travel, supply/equipment, etc., and ensure that each item of funding being requested is fully justified.

One original, plus five copies of the full application, must be sent by February 2, 2004 via courier service (i.e. courier stamped by this date at the latest). Only complete applications will be considered.

Send Letter of Intent and Full Application by Courier to:

Palliative and End of Life Care: New Emerging Team Grants
Attention: Tina Lawton
Knowledge Creation Programs Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
410 Laurier Avenue W., 9th Floor
Address Locator 4209A
Ottawa, ON K1A 0W

RFA Performance Outcomes and Measures

The Institute of Cancer Research and its partners will assess performance of this initiative through ongoing monitoring and periodic evaluation. We are committed to informing Canadians about the performance of our initiatives and the results that they deliver.

The following table is intended to further clarify objectives by linking them to expected outcomes and measures. All funded applicants will be expected to participate in the evaluation strategy, contributing advice, data and reports as required for assessment purposes.

Program Objectives	Expected Outcomes	Outcome Measures
Foster cross-theme research in palliative and end of life care with an emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach	Multidisciplinary and cross-theme research in palliative and end of life care	Multidisciplinary and cross-theme nature of operating grant applications and subsequent publications Awardees opinion on the effectiveness of the program to foster multidisciplinary and cross-theme research
Create a team environment that favours the development of excellent and innovative research projects that will advance our understanding of palliative and end of life care	Increased quality and productivity of award recipients in area of palliative and end of life care	Applications to operating grants and success rate Knowledge translation activities (publications, patents, colloquia,)
Train and establish new investigators capable of undertaking research relevant to understanding palliative and end of life care	Increased number of trainees in palliative and end of life care Establishment of new investigators in palliative and end of life care	Number of trainees within the teams New investigators that are integrated in the teams

Contact Information

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at one of the numbers below.

For questions regarding the review process, application forms and submission requirements, please contact:

Tina Lawton
Program Delivery Coordinator
Knowledge Creation Programs Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
410 Laurier Avenue W; 9th floor
Address Locator 4209A
Ottawa, ON K1A 0W9
Telephone: 613-954-6242
E-mail: tlawton@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For general questions about the strategic initiative Palliative and End of Life Care, please contact:

Judith Bray, Ph.D
Assistant Director, Special Projects
Institute of Cancer Research
Institute of Infection and Immunity
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Tel: 613-954-7223
Fax: 613-941-1040
E-mail: jbray@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Created: 2003-06-30
Modified: 2004-04-29
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